Megan Luce of Michael Graves Architecture & Design | 1776 On The Green in Morristown | Hospitality With the Client In Mind
Courtesy of Michael Graves Architecture & Design
1776 On The Green
Today we’re joined by Megan Luce, Senior Director of Interior Design at Michael Graves. Join us as we discuss what it was like to work alongside Michael Graves, himself, and take a look behind the scenes of Megan’s latest project, 1776 On The Green in Morristown, New Jersey. Having begun work on this combination bar, restaurant, and Top Golf Suite just before the pandemic, Megan divulges the keys to designing a space that will invite diners to ease back into the post-pandemic restaurant experience and how covid impacted the creation of this project.
“Michael could have done anything he wanted with the spaces he designed, ‘Would someone be comfortable here? Is the scale proportionate?’ I loved that about him.”
Courtesy of Michael Graves Architecture & Design
About Megan Luce
Joining Michael Graves Architecture & Design in 2007, Megan brings over 13 years of experience in the design of office spaces, hotels, restaurants, and residences and has worked on several of the firm’s signature hospitality projects, including the Nile Corniche and Sentosa World Resorts in Singapore. She designs with the goal of integrating interiors into the architecture of the building to create seamless and unique solutions. Recognizing the importance of sustainable design, Megan believes that carrying the vision of the client through all the stages of design is critical and that a successful design solution is defined by the integration of sustainable concepts with cost-effective and beautiful design solutions. She works closely with associate architects and consultants located overseas throughout the design and construction process.
Courtesy of Michael Graves Architecture & Design
Episode Timestamps
5:55 – I think there are probably some perceptions people might have of ‘starchitects’ like Michael Graves. What was he like?
7:45 – Let's talk about the project 1776 On The Green. Describe the scope and layout of it.
12:27 – Could you talk about the size and the scale and how you wanted the interior spaces to be perceived by diners as they were coming through?
16:29 – Could you talk about a little bit more detail about the types of lighting fixtures that you purchased and how you want to have made those decisions?
19:03 – Let’s talk more specifically about where you were in the design process last February, March, and April. What particularly happened and when did things restart?
25:23 – We've talked about comfort, surprise, and delight. How do you think about all of these concepts and then actually translate them to physical things that you design?
28:41 – When you’re designing a restaurant or a bar, is there a feeling or an emotional idea about designing around an escape?
31:32 – What do you think it is that makes you stand out as an interior designer?
About your host:
Atif Qadir is the Founder & CEO of Commonplace, a technology company making it easy for commercial real estate professionals to find and use the $100B of real estate incentives given out every year in the US.
His work has been covered by Technology Review, The Real Deal, Commercial Observer, and Propmodo. He’s also a frequent speaker on the future of buildings and cities on popular industry podcasts and at conferences, including this past year at the Commercial Observer National DEI Conference, Yale AREA Conference, Columbia Real Estate Symposium, Open Data Week NYC and Austin Design Week.
About Commonplace
Commonplace is a founding sponsor of American Building. It is a 100% minority-owned, real estate technology company founded in 2020 to make financing social impact development projects across the US easier. It is funded by venture capital investors Hometeam Ventures, Park West Asset Management, New York Ventures and Shadow Ventures.
About Michael Graves
The world-famous design firm Michael Graves is also a founding sponsor of American Building. Its namesake, the iconoclastic designer Michael Graves, FAIA was a fierce advocate for people-centric design. His work defines a generation of American architecture and includes the Portland Building, the Humana Building and the Denver Public Library. The 1st season of American Building was filmed live at The Warehouse, his historic home in Princeton, New Jersey:
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